


Nobody Compares To You

by AwokenMonster



Category: Are You The One? Season 8, Are you the one?
Genre: Love, M/M, Sorry Not Sorry, The Fourth Beam, episode 10
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-09-23 13:48:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20341123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwokenMonster/pseuds/AwokenMonster
Summary: It all came down to the fourth beam.No fourth beam meant Jax was a no-matchFourth beam meant Jax was a perfect match.Max was about to vomit all over stage if that fourth beam didn't light up soon.Justin/MaxRated T for the show's nature.





	Nobody Compares To You

**Author's Note:**

> Monster: Hi guys! Yes, I wrote another fic! I think I might do another happy one soon about the reunion but I'm not sure yet. Either way, I wanna talk to you about the episode 10 description; "Three perfect matches are revealed and two couples are disappointed".  
Let's analyse this. Jonathan/Basit and Nour/Jasmine were revealed in ep 10. Paige/Remy were disappointed in ep 10. IF Justin and Max aren't a match, then that means an immediate perfect match for Danny/Kai and Jenna/Paige. This means FOUR perfect matches are revealed instead of three! I am aware that if Jax is a match, all eight will be revealed but who the fuck would make the description "the house wins", right? And if you're wondering who's gonna be the second disappointed couple if Jax is a match? I'm saying Dai because Kai did NOT seem pleased with being matched to Remy in ep 10. Anyway, it's a little hopeful comment but I don't dare hope Jax is a match at this point. We'll see. Let's at least hope they're boyfriends in real life. Enjoy!

“I believe in us”, Justin whispered but Max was nauseous. He was about to throw up in the neck of the people sitting in front of him if that fourth beam didn’t light up anytime soon. Please please please let it light up.

Max closed his eyes and bit down hard onto his knuckles. _Please let him be Justin’s match_.

The people surrounding them were getting restless, yelling things like “come on” and “they’re not gonna be a match”. Justin had a nervous twitch in his grip around Max. “I’m gonna get sick if this beam doesn’t light up soon.”

Max nodded at that comment, feeling the exact same way. Terrence stepped away from the lights, looking at the couples in the seats one by one. “Three beams.”

“What?!” Remy yelled. “But that means-…”

“We’re not a match”, Justin whispered, staring wide-eyed at the floor. Max could feel a shiver run down his spine, goose bumps rising on his skin. He had imagined this scenario an endless amount of times and yet he was still not prepared to hear what was going on. He didn’t dare look at Justin.

He didn’t dare look at the man he fell in love with if it meant they had to break up for the sake of the game.

“Justin and Max are a no-match. Danny and Kai are the match!” Kari screamed. Kai whipped his head to Danny with the brightest smile but Danny couldn’t return the smile when he saw Max visibly crumble with each passing second. “Max?”

Max blinked, voices nothing but a distant murmur. Justin wasn’t his match. They would head back into the house and he would have to watch Justin make new connections. He’d have to watch Justin jump into something new. He wouldn’t be allowed to sleep next to Justin anymore. That spot was preserved for someone else.

Someone better than Max.

Someone who would be exactly what Justin wanted and needed in his life.

Someone who wasn’t Max.

Max was trembling when Justin rubbed his back soothingly. “Hey…”

“You seriously need to re-evaluate your current choice of matches”, Terrence only said before he dismissed everyone to go back to the house. They all hesitantly got up to walk the way back, obviously disappointed in the situation.

Max, though, he didn’t move. He remained in his seat. Justin got up and stuck out his hand. “Come on.”

Max stared at the hand like he just woke up and got up without taking it. Justin put an arm around Max’ waist, the way he’d done countless of times and it made Max pause. “Why are you-… We’re not a match”, Max said, clearly.

Justin shrugged. “I know, but I’m still in… I still really like you, you know.”

It was like those words were exactly what Max needed to hear as he pulled Justin into a hug. “I’m scared of what’s gonna happen to us.”

“We won’t let anything happen to us”, Justin said, nuzzling Max’ cheek. “I love what we have.”

“I do too”, Max said, a slight quiver in his voice and he swallowed a lump in his throat to make sure he wouldn’t just break out in tears right there and then. He wouldn’t let anyone see.

They all thought he was gonna burn down the house if he and Justin weren’t a match… Well, they weren’t a match. Though Max had no anger in his body. All he felt, was a deep sorrow and disappointment that there was someone better in the house for Justin. He didn’t even give two shits about who his own perfect match would be. “I don’t wanna see you find your match. As selfish as it sounds”, Max admitted on his way back to the house.

“You know. You can get to know someone on a personal level without kissing and going to the boom boom room”, Justin offered. “I’ll just have to keep my distance.”

“It feels unfair to make you keep your distance from your match”, Max muttered, but he was grateful Justin offered.

Back at the house, everyone immediately started talking strategy and about how Danny and Kai were automatically a match and how Jenna and Paige were a match too.

“It shouldn’t be too hard to figure out the matches now”, Kylie offered as a consolation price for everyone. Afterall, they found Jonathan/Basit, Aasha/Brandon, Kai/Danny, Jenna/Paige and Nour/Jasmine. Five out of eight matches. Should be easy enough to find the rest, right?

Max didn’t want to hear it. He called it an early night and walked away to sleep – alone. Justin didn’t go with him. He stayed behind to listen to the strategy talk. Max didn’t even know why he wasn’t surprised.

However, he was surprised to wake several hours later, Justin sleeping close against him. _What? That I can’t sleep next to you anymore? I can’t… I don’t want that._

Max dared to smile slightly and nested his head against Justin before drifting off to sleep again.

Early in the morning, Justin wriggled out of Max’ hold to get up. Of course, it woke Max as well.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting up early. I need some time to think. Wonder about my match. See if I can talk to the remaining possible matches and figure it out.

Max averted his eyes. “Okay.”

“Are you coming with? You could do the same.”

Max shook his head. “I’m gonna stay in bed.”

And stay in bed he did. He didn’t feel like watching Justin look for his match, flirt with people in front of him. Instead, Max settled to lay in bed as long as he could. He skipped lunch and he could hear several people asking.

“Where’s Max?”

“In bed.”

“Still?”

“Yeah”, Justin replied. “I think it’s really hard on him to watch me find my match.”

“But he has a match too!”

“He doesn’t care”, Justin shrugged. “He wants _me_.”

Max pulled the covers over his head. The bed may not be the most hygienic one, but it was better than staying in the living room where everyone would either stare at him in pity, tell him they told him so or Justin would… find someone else.

Somewhere in the afternoon, Justin entered the room to sit on Max’ bed. “Are you not getting up today?”

“No.”

“Why not?” Justin asked.

Max shrugged. “The house thought I was gonna burn the house down. I’d say this is a better scenario.”

“Max”, Justin disapprovingly called, caressing Max silhouette over the covers. “I still have a deep connection with you.”

“I was lying to myself when I said I wasn’t angry over us not being a match”, Max admitted. “My anger turned inward. I’m just so angry with myself for letting it go this far. I shouldn’t have let you come so close to me. You have someone better than me in this house.”

Justin sighed. “STOP! Nobody compares to you, Max. Stop thinking that there’s someone better here for me. Maybe I have a perfect match according to the matchmakers and maybe I wanna find them to win the money but I _love_ YOU!”

Max finally looked Justin in the eye. “You love me?”

“Of course I do. The whole house knows I do”, Justin spoke in a hushed tone.

Max pushed himself into a sitting position. “I love you too.”

“We’ll get through this. Match or no match”, Justin said.

“Promise?”

“I promise”, Justin intently said, pulling Max close.

Max opened his eyes, sucking in a harsh breath. He looked around. Amber sat with Paige. Danny and Kai didn’t sit together. He felt a squeeze in his shoulder and glanced sideways at Justin. Justin was sitting next to him. In a matchup seat. He looked forward to see Terrence and the three beams lit up.

They had yet to find out if Max and Justin were a match or not. Max didn’t know why but the nerves in his body seemed to fade. He took a deep breath and squeezed Justin’s hand on his leg. Justin looked at him, the insecurity clear in his eyes. Max smiled at him; “I believe in us too.”

And the fourth beam lit up.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment, they're our heavy fuel!
> 
> YES I PULLED A BREAKING DAWN PART 2 ON YOU GUYS!  
It's a bit more my style to go for sudden plot twists. I hadn't done one for Jax before while I use them in HU all the time hehe.


End file.
